


Project Aftershock

by screaming_marmot (Ichang)



Series: Project Aftershock [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), Deathstroke the Terminator (Comics)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 19:24:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17855561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ichang/pseuds/screaming_marmot
Summary: The titans race against a blood mage and cultist calling himself Odysseus to be the first to find the lead scientist behind biotechnical manipulation and Project Aftershock.





	1. Scoops

Nightwing sat at the head of the table,lips pressed into a thin frown. His eyes danced across the tablet in front of him, gloved finger flipped through the pages, finally he sighed and pressed the alert button on his com link. Forty minutes later and the rest of the Titans had joined him. Nightwing stayed at the head of the U shaped table. Raven and Starfire sat that the very opening, while Beast Boy sat to the right of Nightwing and across the U from Cyborg. Nightwing started as soon as they sat down, there wasn’t any time for the barrage of questions about why he had called an emergency meeting for the founding Titans.

“As you all know, Cyborg and I have been going over the information found on the hard drives that were recovered from the mercenaries who attacked S.T.A.R. Labs. He and I have uncovered something that we have deemed a serious threat: Project Aftershock.” As Nightwing spoke he pulled up a document on the screen behind him. “Most of the information is missing but we have deemed that this was the reason that the mercenaries were sent to S.T.A.R.” Cyborg stood up from where he had been sitting, with the push of a button on his metal arm, the screen changed to show a closer look at the document. The enlarged area read.

 

**“Attempts to integrate subjects with the master have been, as of yet, largely unsuccessful. Our scientists have no understanding of this subject, we request that the head scientist be rehired as he is the only person with a background in Bio-Technical Manipulation. If this request cannot be met than no further research may be produced as such all further progress with Project Aftershock must be halted.”**

 

Cyborg spoke next.“So far as we can tell, Project Aftershock is attempting to create a new area of science dubbed by the government as: Bio-Technical Manipulation. Like Nightwing said, lots of the information was corrupted and all we have is fragments of the data. However, from what we can piece together Bio-Technical Manipulation or BTM’s aim is to allow a so called “master” to remotely seize control of a meta-human host and not only control their movement, but also their powers.” The other Titans glanced between themselves with nervous eyes. The first to speak up was Raven, her voice calm as always, yet her speed in response betrayed her concern. “Who else knows about? The ramifications of a group like H.I.V.E., getting their hands on this is deadly.” Beast Boy spoke next, his voice was panicked and his eyes darted between Nightwing and Cyborg quickly. “How far along have they got? Who’s leading this? Is Cadmus back? Does the League know?” Starfire was the last of the three to speak, she had taken her time about adding to the conversation and it was clear that she had given it thought. “If BTM is being masterminded by our government than the mercenaries who we got this information from must not have been working for them which means that at least one other power knows about it. I agree with Raven before we start to worry we should try and create a list of who knows about it. If that’s only a few people, than we should tread lightly when trying to gain answers for the rest of our question, the fewer the people who know the better.”

The ginger leaped down the last few stairs. He glanced over his shoulder as his sweaty hands fumbled with the metal door handle that led into Gotham’s streets. An eagle’s shrill cry sent him into a frenzy, in a matter of seconds he was out the door and running as quickly as he could down the ally. He was outside, an easy target. Starfire flew down to block his path; however, to her shock the near emaciated man didn’t stop,rather he ran into her side and slipped past her. As quick as it happened Star recovered and flew to catch him. As her fingertips neared his green overcoat she heard the all too familiar click of a hammer. Starfire twisted into a flying spin, expertly dogging the bullets fired at her and one well-placed starbolt sent her target flying back against a dumpster. As Beast Boy landed,shifting back into himself, Starfire lifted the ginger till they were face to face. “I don’t know what ever you wanna know.” He squirmed and kicked hopelessly in Stars grasp. “Stop moving. I’ll drop you if you keep this up.” That was the only response that he got, as Starfire and Beast Boy took off; their new, unwilling, informant held tightly in Star’s hands.

“Darren Walker AKA “Scoops.”Nightwing used his best Bat glare to fix the young man from squirming against this restraints. “We were told that it was you who relayed the contract to the mercenaries who attacked S.T.A.R last week.” Almost before Dick could finish his sentence the ginger blurted out. “I’dn hire um! I swear, to god honest. I was paid to givem iat. Aint my fault they shot up the damn place.” He did nothing to hide his fear from the titans, his speech was slurred half from his normal voice and half from the fact that he was whimpering. The founding Titans looked between each other and silently wondered how much information his really knew or at the very least how much they could get out of him in his current state. Raven moved to stand in front of his chair, in one fluid motion she knelt to his level, placed her hands on the side of his head and exhaled as her emphatic powers calmed the young man.

“Supposing that we believe you, who hired you to relay the assignment to those mercenaries?” Nightwing queried. Despite the assured tone, he wasn’t sure that “scoops” even truly knew who hired him;Dick had read Batman’s file on him early that day and it aptly stated that the ginger seemed to float through life only on the cusp of being aware of his surroundings, as if he were a child that was always high. Rather than give answers, Scoops now calm reply served only to further complicate the problem at hand. “A shadow. I swear up and down. He’ad six eyes they glowed green and..and where he’d walked there was smoke that hissed. I swear, said he’d turn me int’a his slave if I went to the capes whi’t what he’d said. Told me he wants war,somethng bout ending time. But yu’le keep me from hi’m right?” Raven shifted her stance as she seemed to recognize this description. “Did he carry black iron sickles with green inlays?” Her question was met with frantic nodding, she exhaled softly and quickly ushered the other titans out from the room.


	2. Odysseus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just who is the man with the black iron sickles? And what did he do it Scoops?

“Odysseus.” Raven conjured one of her many books and flipped it opened to a page nearest the back. “Thousands of years ago, there was a human who sought to become a magician; however as he learned the limits that humans have. He was angered and his thoughts turned to the blood within his veins. By all rights he should have become a blood magician but he sought to gain this title by the murder of his followers, his wife and two children. In a twist of cruel fate he instead fused the eyes of his family to his mask, souls of his followers to his, and his body was ripped from this realm and cast into one he created with his heinous act. The mask that was left behind gives its wearer more than just the powers of a blood magician, it allows them to draw power from this realm of collected souls and corrupt the human soul, taking control while leaving their body intact. When last I had heard of it, its owner called himself Odysseus; however he was content to lead his cult down in Peru.” Star was the first to respond. “If he can already control people why would he need technology to do it for him?” “He isn’t. He’s trying to destroy it.” Beast Boy spoke up. “If he controls people’s souls then the only thing that could make his slaves stop attacking would be to take over their body. Soul’s got nothing to do with the body. I bet those merks went crazy was because he wanted to kill the head scientist. The information that they tried to corrupt said that only one person knows how the tech works.” Raven nodded in agreement, again making the book disappear. “If Odysseus was controlling their bodies than it explains why he didn’t give Scoops money to pay them. Odysseus used him to find good hired guns.” “Then our priority becomes finding that scientist.” Nightwing calmly stated as he walked back towards Scoops.

“We haven’t forgotten about you.” Dick said as he pushed Scoops back down from where he had been walking, still tired in the chair, towards the exit. “How did Odysseus contact you?” “He just appeared in my apartment.” Scoops sounds more rational now, he had even stopped mumbling and made eye contact with Dick as he said that. Raven moved closer to his new position. “Did he touch you?” “No, just walked out from behind one of my computers and started to talk about needing to hire me to find the best henchmen for a job.” “No more slurring.” Dick noted to himself. “And self-assured.” He signaled for Raven to join him away from the others. “Is the only way for Odysseus to take control to touch?” Raven replied. “My book doesn’t say; at least that book. There aren’t many people who have escaped from him, any reliable people at least. Everyone who was thought to have “escaped” were always thought to still be possessed, there are no external signs.” Dick’s heart dropped, but he played a hunch. “So if Odysseus had taken control of Scoops that would explain why he stopped mumbling?” Raven nodded. “It would also explain why he shot at Star, his file says he’s harmless.” Nightwing turned around. “Take Mr. Walker to one of the holding cells please. We will need him again in the near future.” Cyborg looked at Dick with a questioning face, but picked the ginger up and started down to one of the holding cells. About half way there his com blinked on and Ravens voice came over it. “Don’t talk. Take him to one of the cells designed for magic users. Don’t let him touch your human half, and don’t let him know what the cell is used for.”

“How much do we really know about the symptoms of being controlled by him?” Cyborg asked as he walked to join the other titans standing around a screen that looked in upon the cell. “If Scoops knew than he wasn’t acting like it.” Dick said calmly. “He was acting like Batman’s file said he does.” Scoops passed back and forth in his cell, stopping every three time to look up at the camera and calmly smile. “While that is out of character.” “Star and Rave both touched him.” Beast boy chimed in. “Can he take them over through someone else?” Raven had moved away from the other titans and was flipping through another book. “There are no signs of being controlled, I don’t think the hosts even know. It’s just an urge to do the action and not question why. As for second hand possession? It doesn’t work like that. Odysseus takes control through touch. His skin or armor must make contact; however small.”Starfire stood watching the ginger pace back and forth, finally she spoke up.“What does he stand to gain from telling us that he is controlling Scoops? He could’ve led us into a trap but he gave away the higher ground.” Dick moved over to his tablet and opened the notes. “If the hosts just feel in urge to do what he wants than he wanted us to know that he paid for the attack. Odysseus has been having Scoops act strangely this whole time, first he was violent and when that didn’t set off the alarm; he made it more blatant. All we need to do is find out why he wants us to know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is quite short but that's because I figured there was so much information I didn't want it to become wordy.  
> Again, no Beta.

**Author's Note:**

> This did not have a test reader, apologies if there are mistakes.


End file.
